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You’ve got mail. Lots and lots of e-mail. Have you ever considered that e-mails you send are a digital first impression? After all, without a physical presence to judge, your emails are often the only representation recipients have to make a judgment about you and your credibility. Experts estimate that employees spend a quarter of the work week composing and responding to emails, therefore refining and improving your email etiquette should be a top priority.
The secret of great people is often conveyed by their words. Businessmen like Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett and Jeff Bezos didn’t get to where they are today without hitting a few speed bumps. So, how can we learn from their mistakes in hopes of becoming the next billionaire? Here are five quotes from CEOs to spark your success.
Meetings can be one of the most intimidating environments for introverts. When mixed with extroverts, they often find themselves sitting back and letting others speak. The key to a successful meeting is having all opinions heard, and when introverts make up nearly 50% of the U.S. population, meetings lose half the value and insight when introverts choose not to speak up. If you’re an introvert — this is for you! Here are seven ways to be heard in meetings.
If you're in business long enough, there's pretty much a guarantee you'll go through a season of change, if not many. Even the most successful companies have gone through change — from American Airlines to Zappos. I co-founded TSP with Rick Skaggs, my longtime colleague from Honeywell, in 2002. Our department had been shut down and we were asked to let go of our team of nearly 50 talented engineers. While this change was difficult, it created an opportunity for us to do something we might have never done before. We soon started our own company and rehired many of those same engineers. Right around our 15-year anniversary last year, we experienced our most significant period of change yet. We were feeling the need to adapt within the market and meet our evolving partner expectations like all industries have at some point. It was time to do a serious audit of our business practices and evaluate what must be done in order to set us on the path to success for the next 15 years.
Saying goodbye to summer can be a difficult thing to do. For many, the summer months mean shorter work weeks, more casual attire and just a stronger sense of overall freedom — both at work and at home. Because of this, many people dread the months following Labor Day. Don’t let the transitional months between summer and winter get you down. With business picking up and schedules changing for everyone, fall is a great time to course-correct your year. If you’re unsure where to begin, we’ve compiled three simple changes you can implement starting as early as today!
When you’re standing on a football or soccer field you can see the goal — it’s right there, calling your name. It’s no surprise that the majority of employees, 76 percent in fact, want opportunities for career growth. But it can be a bit harder to see your goals when you’re sitting at your desk, coffee in hand. Make no mistake, establishing professional development goals is vital when mapping out your career path. You may know where you want to go, but figuring out how to get there is the first step in accomplishing your ideas. Goal setting techniques are used by successful leaders in a wide range of industries, as well as professional athletes staring down the field at their target. By outlining clear, defined goals you can continuously measure your progress and motivate yourself. Here are five tips to help you set goals like a pro.
Experts say that we spend a third of our lives on our mattress, but how much time do we spend at our desk? Some studies estimate that the average working American sits at his or her desk for more than half of the day. One study found that most Americans sit an average of 13 hours a day, while only sleeping for eight hours. With such a significant portion of time spent being still, it’s no wonder that there is a wide spread push to revolutionize office workspaces. Sitting for too long can lead to poor circulation, a slow metabolic process, and even muscle fatigue. Adjustable height desks are probably the single most popular trend in today’s workplace. While some innovative fixes are popular for a while and then fade away — standing desks are here to stay.
An integral part of your success in the business arena lies in the personal relationships you forge with your colleagues. Building better relationships with individual associates enriches your career and can open new doors. Studies find that over 90 percent of employers view soft skills as a vital requirement when hiring new employees. Here are four easy tips to cultivate meaningful business relationships.
You get the best of both worlds. No commute. No dress-code. In America, almost 4 million employees now do most their jobs from the comfort of their own homes. It may seem that working remotely is a dream come true. However, it’s easy to get distracted by things that are easily ignorable in the office at home when you feel like you’re on your own time. As a remote employee, it’s important to draw a line between personal and professional time. Here are a few tips on how to productively and effectively turn your house into your office, whether it’s an everyday occurrence or an occasional day away from the office.
A strong relationship between you and your boss has the ability to transform your work experience. Making deliberate decisions to impress your boss can help you strengthen the relationship between you and him or her. Making these small changes in your workflow will ensure you leave a positive impression on your boss. Tweaking your behavior in these small ways will assure your boss that you’re an essential part of the team. Or better yet, your boss might see your potential and promote you to a higher position. Creating a valuable relationship with your boss can open many doors for you.
